Becoming a soldier
by WhoIsJaneDoe
Summary: After Claire's mother dies, she has to do whats best for her and Serah. She has to become lightning
1. Chapter 1

"I'm telling you my hair is naturally pink!" yelled the frustrated teen. "You know unnatural hair color is against the rules" said the principal , not listening to any of the girl's words, "and you know there's also a rule against piercings" the man went on. She hastily pulled down her shirt, "it's only my belly button, its not like anyone can see it," her argument clearly not getting through to him. "Just go back to class, and change your hair by Friday" said the principal. "But it's naturally pink! AARGGH!" yelled the girl as she left the office and headed back to class. She walked back to class and took her seat in the back of the room. "And so class this is-" RING RING. The phone interrupted. "Teacher speaking.. Yes.. Yes I understand, ok" she hung up the phone quietly. "Claire please head down to the office" the teacher said almost sorrowfully. Claire was getting quite agitated now as she left the room, why couldn't they just leaver her to her business? " What is it now? Are you going to tell me I have to change my hair by tomorrow instead of Friday?" she barked. "…No, your hair is fine…" spoke the principal with what seemed like sympathy. Clair started to feel uneasy, she could tell something was wrong. "What's going on?" she quietly said. "Claire there.. There is no easy way to put this, but its your mother,.. She died" said the principal, with a bit of guilt at having to tell a child their mother was dead. "No, no your lying!" she pleaded as if she could make it untrue, "she was doing so good, she was getting better, they said she was getting better!" the girl choked, trying to hold back her tears. "Claire we are so sorry for your loss" he said. He kept talking but she couldn't hear him, she just sat there, trying to take it in. "We haven't told Serah yet, we thought it would be best if you told her, you can leave school early to get your thoughts together" he offered. Claire nodded and walked out the door.

She walked over to the middle school trying to clear her thoughts, trying to think of what to say. She had already cried all her tears but telling Serah was going to break her heart. After their father died their mom had been deathly ill, and now she was gone too. It was only the two of them now. She had to be strong for Serah. She got to the middle school and sat in the office and waited while they called Serah down. Claire stood up when Serah came in. "Sis what are you doing here?" questioned Serah playfully. God this is hard thought Claire, 12 years old is too young for Serah to lose her parents. "Serah I.." choked Claire. "Sis what is it?" asked Serah, starting to get concerned. "It's mom… she.." Claire couldn't breath, couldn't get the words to come out. "Mom? Is she ok? Claire?' Serah asked franticly. "Serah, she died." Claire finally managed to say. "No, No.. NO!" Serah ran out of the building, tears pouring out of her eyes.

Serah didn't know where she was running, she didn't care, she ran aimlessly, trying to run from the fact that her mother was dead. Serah hadn't really know her father before he died, but her mother had raised her, and now she was gone. She realized that she had run home, she ran through the door, " Mom? Mom?" she shouted, checking all the rooms, "Mom please, come back.. I need you.." she whispered. She fell to the ground and started crying.

Clair looked frantically, Serah had just ran out of the office and disappeared, she looked all over the city but couldn't find her. She was so worried about Serah, and scared, scared that she would lose her too. She ran home, praying that Serah was there, and when she opened the door, there she was, crouched on the floor, crying. Claire immediately wrapped the young girl in a hug, understanding all to well her pain. "It will be ok Serah, everything is going to be ok" she whispered. "She's gone sis, she really gone" sobbed the young girl. "What are we going to do Claire? How are we gonna survive? They are going to send us away." the young girl cried onto her sisters shoulder. "We are going to be fine Serah, I promise I will never let that happen" she tried to soothe the young girl.

Claire walked Serah into school when she noticed the people in the office. "Serah go sit over there for a minute" she told the girl so that she wouldn't notice, she walked to the office, she already knew who they were and why they were here. She walked in, "No" she simply stated. "Claire we-" the woman was cut off, "No your not taking her" Claire demanded. "Claire" the principal cut in, "They are here to help you" he tried to explain. "No, you know how it works, we'll probably be split up and you know it" Her voice started to falter, "Please I'm all she has, don't take me away from her, don't-.. don't take her away from me" she choked out. "Claire your still a child yourself" the woman said, "How could you-" "Give me 10 days" Claire pleaded "Give me 10 days to prove to you that I can take care of us." "And if you can't in 10 day?" the woman asked. "Then I.. I will let you do what you think is best for the both of us." Claire said. "…ok, but no more than 10 days" the woman agreed. "thank you" Claire sighed in relief. Serah couldn't tell what they were talking about, as she watched her sister talk to her principle and a woman she didn't recognize. Claire walked out off the office and headed towards Serah. "What was that about sis?" asked Serah. " Oh nothing important" she lied, "They just wanted to know how you were coping." that wasn't entirely a lie, they had asked her that before she left. "Go on to class now Serah, I have to get to school" she said. She gave Serah a quick hug and headed over to the high school.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys sorry this chapter took so long if you read it please review it and tell me what youu think thanks :p and ch 3 should be up much sooner

Claire hadn't realized it until now, but for the first time in her life she was truly scared. She sat in class wondering how she was going to make this work. "I have to get a job" she thought "But how am I supposed to go to work and to school? I'm not" she realized. "a part-time job isn't going to get me nearly enough, but how am I supposed to get a good job without any school?" the thoughts swam endlessly through her head. She was getting frustrated, her thoughts were interrupted as the bell rang, dismissing school. She walked out of school and walked to the middle school without talking to anyone, and no one tried to stop her. She heard the whispers, they would say "no don't invite her she'll just bring us down, her mother just died" or "I thought she was your friend" " she is but I don't want to hang out with a depressed girl." she continued walking, hoping serah wasn't hearing the same awful whispers from kids at her school. "hey Claire what are you doing here, don't you usually hang out with your friends after school?" Serah asked. "No ill be walking you home from school now." Claire replied. She was glad today was Friday so she - and more importantly, Serah- didn't have to hear any whispers.

Serah woke up that Saturday like every other Saturday, but it wasn't like every other Saturday, She knew that when she got up her mother wouldn't be there to make sure she ate her breakfast before she could go out, or greet her good morning, or tell her she loved her, it would never be that way again. She forced herself away from the horrible thoughts and out of bed, making her way down stairs to the kitchen, a horrible smell greeted her nose, she walked in to find Claire trying to make what looked like eggs but had been reduced to burnt clumps. "Claire?" Serah called out. Claire turned around frustrated, there were tears in her eyes. "Claire what's wrong are you alright?" Serah rushed over to her sister concerned. "Serah im sorry, I tried" the young girl choked out, "I tried to make you breakfast like mom did, im sorry." Serah realized that losing mom was even harder for Claire than it was for herself. "Claire its ok let me make breakfast" Claire shook her head "no Serah its my job im supposed to take care of you" she said with more tears falling down her face. Serah felt horrible for the way her older sister was feeling, Claire was the oldest but she was still only 15, it wasn't fair for her to bear this burden alone. Serah grabbed Claire's face and make her look at her, "Claire listen to me, we are in this together, we have to be a team, let me help you" Serah said softly. "You always were better at cooking" Claire managed to force a laugh and smile.

Claire was sitting down relaxing after cleaning the house when she heard a knock on the door. She set the mail down that she was about to open and walked over to the door. It was the principle and the children services agent from before, Claire filled with dread and fear, what if they decided to go back on their deal? "Its only been 3 days" Claire said worriedly. "Don't worry we are just here to check up on you two" said the woman. "Where is Serah?" she asked looking around the house. " She's out around town, probably getting groceries" Claire replied. shouldn't you be watching her the woman said with an accusing tone, "she's not 5 she can go out on her own" Claire replied defensively and harshly. The principal glanced down at the mail Claire left sitting on the table' "house bills, how are you going to pay for these?" asked the principle sounding genuinely concerned. Claire looked away, "ill have a job soon I just need a minute" she said quietly. " you only have 6 days left" warned the woman. "I- I know im working on it" Claire prayed they wouldn't press any further. "And how will you get a job and go to school, it's the law that every one in Bodhum under the age of at least 16 goes to school" the woman said sternly. "I turn 16 in a week" Claire lied, she had only just turned 15 a month ago. "your cutting it close Claire, just remember, we are doing you a favor by being lenient with you, we don't have to" the woman got up to leave. "yes ma'am thank you" Claire looked down. She shut the door behind them, put her back to the door and slid down to the ground. " She's right" she said to herself, I have to do better, for Serah." She wrapped her arms around her legs and put her head on her knees and sat there till Serah got home.

Serah came home to find Claire asleep in front of the door, "silly girl" Serah thought to herself and smiled. She was to small to carry Claire to the couch so she grabbed a blanket and put it over her sister then went to make diner. She sat the groceries on the table and started to unpack them when she realized that something was missing. "oh nooooo' she whined, " I forgot the lettuce" she was going to make Claire's favorite but forgot the lettuce for the salad. She looked at the clock, "its already 10 o' clock' she frowned. " No," she thought, "this is for Claire." she grabbed her coat and went back out into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

Sarah ran through the parking lot, it had started raining hard. She had grabbed the lettuce and was running home when she smacked into somebody. "Hey look it's Claire's little sister" she heard a boy say. He grabbed the bag from her hand, "what's this? You bought us a snack?" The boy pulled the lettuce from the bag. "Lettuce? That's lame" another boy said. "Well what do you expect, it's all they can afford since their mommy died" laughed the first boy. "Give it back! That's for Claire!" Sarah reached for the food. The boy shoved Sarah roughly, she fell (100)in a puddle, her outfit now soaked with water and mud. "Hey why don't you show a little respect to your upperclassmen" teased the second boy. One of them was about 16 and the other 17, Sarah just wanted to go home, she didn't have time for this. "Why don't you say sorry" the second boy grabbed her by the arm and shoved her at the first boy. "Yeah, why don't you 'say sorry'" the first boy said, moving closer. Sarah started to back up until she backed into a building wall, she tried to turn and run but the first boy slammed his hand into the wall beside her face," I said, say sorry" he said in a dangerous tone. Serah was scared, she couldn't get away.

Claire woke up wondering where the blanket came from 'Sarah' she thought 'she's such a sweet girl'. As Claire looked around she slowly became more alarmed, it was almost midnight and Sarah was nowhere in the house, she saw the food on the table and realized what meal it was. She noticed that one of the ingredients was gone, 'that silly girl, going back out in the rain for something like this', Claire grabbed her coat and headed out the door.

"Why don't we help you out of these wet clothes, we wouldn't want Claire's little sister catching a cold" the first boy sneered. He reached for the hem of her shirt, she tried to push him away but he grabbed her wrists and slammed them into the wall. "What's wrong, don't you want to make up for disrespecting me?" He mocked. "Stop" Sarah tried to push Him away but she couldn't. She spit on his face. She felt a sharp pain on her cheek and she connected with the ground. "Fucking bitch" he spat. She tried to get up but he pushed her back down, "no one said you could get up" he said in a controlling tone. There were tears forming at her eyes, she just wanted to go home, she didn't want to be here. She tried to get up again but the second boys foot connected with her side. A sharp pain plagued her side every time she tried to move,"why don't you just do what your told" said the second boy.

Claire was almost to the store when she heard voices coming from the alley way. She was about to continue walking when she noticed the head of lettuce and Sarah's jacket a little down the road. She ran into the alley as fast as she could.

Sarah was laying on the ground, each breath she drew caused her side to hurt even more. She heard footsteps as the boys approached her. "Sarah!" She heard Claire's voice. The two boys turned as Claire ran up to them. " you come to join the fun Claire" the second boy said snickering. "She was just about to apologize for being so rude, maybe you could apologize for interrupting?" Said the first boy dangerously. "Get away from her" Claire threatened. "Maybe you should stay away and let her finish her apology" warned the second boy. Claire swung at the boy, her knuckles connecting with his face. She ran over to where Sarah was, "serah are you ok, they didn't do anything did they.." She trailed off noticing the top few buttons of serahs blouse undone. "No sis it's ok, just some minor injuries. Claire hadn't noticed the second boy coming up behind her until he had grabbed her by the hair, he had a knife to her throat. "Why don't you pick up where your sister left off? Hmm? You seem to be full of energy", the boy pushed Claire up against the wall, he slightly pressed the knife into her skin, slightly under her collar bone, just enough to draw blood. He put the knife in his back pocket, turning too the second boy who was now standing next to serah, blood on his lip where Claire punched him. "If you try anything he'll hurt her" threatened the boy. He ran his hands up Claire's side and started to unbutton her blouse. Claire put her hands around his waist, slowly she reached back and grabbed the knife. Before he could react she stabbed him in the leg. He fell to the ground and screamed. She turned to the boy standing next to serah, he looked down at his friend laying on the ground holding his leg and he ran out of the alley. Claire ran over to serah and immediately wrapped the girl in her coat. She picked up serah careful not to hurt her and ran home, out of the alleyway, past the lettuce on the ground.

Lightning laid serah in bed and sat beside her. "Serah I- I'm so sorry I- I should've been with you, I should've-" Claire choked out through the tears. serah interrupted, "Claire it's ok nothing happened". "If I wouldn't have gotten there, they would've.." Claire stopped not wanting to even finish the sentence. "But you did get their sis, it's ok, I'm ok", she tried to roll over but winced at the pain. "Your rib, I think it's Broken" Claire said, panicking. "Claire it's fine it's probably just bruised, it'll be ok we will get it checked out at the doctors" serah reassured her. Claire nodded and stayed by serah until she fell asleep, then she walked downstairs and laid on the couch, not bothering to change out of her dirty clothes.


End file.
